Tag: Ted Cruz

New York and New Jersey Republicans are having none of Ted Cruz’s crap

The following article by Abby Baird was posted on the ThinkProgress website August 30, 2017:

New York values, baby.

Republican presidential candidates New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Left, and Sen. Ted Cruz, R-TX, during a break at the Fox Business Network Republican Presidential Debate at the North Carolina Charleston Coliseum, Thursday, Jan. 14, 2016.  Credit:  AP Photo, Chuck Burton

Gov. Chris Christie (R-NJ) came out swinging Wednesday morning, saying on Morning Joe that Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) is “crap,” and that the Texas senator should apologize for his 2013 vote against a Hurricane Sandy relief bill as Hurricane Harvey tears through Cruz’s own state.
Earlier this week, Cruz defended his vote against Sandy relief, saying that the bill contained too much “pork,” and that two-thirds of the funding bill had nothing to do with Sandy. But Cruz’s characterization of the bill is wholly incorrect, as a number of outlets have noted in recent days. Continue reading “New York and New Jersey Republicans are having none of Ted Cruz’s crap”

Ted Cruz’s claim that two-thirds of the Hurricane Sandy bill ‘had nothing to do with Sandy

The following article by Glenn Kessler was posted on the Washington Post website August 29, 2017:

The Texas senator repeats myths about the funding for Sandy relief, which led him to oppose the 2013 bill. (Meg Kelly/The Washington Post)

“The problem with that particular bill is it became a $50 billion bill that was filled with unrelated pork. Two-thirds of that bill had nothing to do with Sandy.”
— Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.), interview with NBC’s Katy Tur, Aug. 28, 2017

Hypocrisy watch! Now that Houston and much of southeastern Texas is swamped by Hurricane Harvey, critics (including Northeastern lawmakers) have complained that Texas senators and members of Congress are seeking emergency federal aid but refused to back relief for the victims of Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Continue reading “Ted Cruz’s claim that two-thirds of the Hurricane Sandy bill ‘had nothing to do with Sandy”

e ‘Bare bones’ insurance policies really only work for people who are healthy

The following article by Lenny Bernstein and Paige Winfield Cunningham was posted on the Washington Post site July 15, 2017:

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz (R) wants to again allow insurers to sell “bare bones” health-care plans. Critics say his amendment to the Senate GOP health-care bill could destabilize insurance markets. (Pablo Martinez Monsivais/Associated Press)

Before the Affordable Care Act, insurance companies could offer any combination of benefits in most states and legally call them a health insurance policy. A huge deductible? Coverage for only one night of hospitalization? Nothing for maternity care, mental health or medication?

If consumers were willing to buy such “bare bones” plans — and some people did, usually at very low prices — those policies were considered health insurance coverage.

“If they sold you a policy that covered [only] a toothbrush, that qualified,” said Karen Pollitz, senior fellow at the Kaiser Family Foundation. Continue reading “e ‘Bare bones’ insurance policies really only work for people who are healthy”